The Longest-Lasting Cars to Reach 200,000 Miles and Beyond

Full-size SUVs are the vehicles that are most likely to reach 200,000 miles or more, according to a new study by automotive research firm and car search engine iSeeCars.com.

iSeeCars analyzed over 13.8 million cars sold in 2018 to determine which models have the highest percentage of cars that reached 200,000 miles. The top 14 models identified each have at least 2.2 percent (almost three times the overall average) of their vehicles reach that mileage and include a mix of vehicle types with nine SUVs including a hybrid, three pickup trucks, a sedan, and a minivan.

“With the right maintenance and care, today’s vehicles have the potential to reach 200,000 miles,” said iSeeCars CEO Phong Ly. “While large SUVs and pickup trucks appear most often on the list, those looking for sedans and minivans can also find a vehicle that is proven to be a high-mileage hauler.”

Earning the top spot on the list is the Toyota Sequoia full-size SUV, with 7.4 percent of its vehicles reaching 200,000 miles. “Full-size SUVs like the Sequoia are built on truck platforms so they have the durability of a truck and the cargo space for up to eight passengers,” said Ly. “Toyotas are known for their reliability, and our findings show that these capable family haulers are able to go the distance for their owners.”

Two additional Toyota SUVs make the list, including the fifth-ranked Toyota 4Runner midsize SUV and the seventh-ranked midsize Toyota Highlander Hybrid. “Like the Sequoia, the 4Runner is also built on a truck platform and still offers ample cargo room and an optional third row for those who want a rugged family hauler, but don’t desire a behemoth full-size SUV,” said Ly. “A downside to driving an SUV is its gas mileage, and the Highlander Hybrid leads its class in fuel economy while offering third-row seating to provide a more fuel-efficient alternative to traditional gas-guzzling family vehicles.”

Six American full-size SUVs account for the remaining SUVs on the list, including the second-ranked Chevrolet Suburban, the third-ranked Ford Expedition, the fourth-ranked GMC Yukon XL, the sixth-ranked Chevrolet Tahoe, the ninth-ranked GMC Yukon, and the fourteenth-ranked Lincoln Navigator. “All manufactured by General Motors, the Suburban, Yukon, Yukon XL, and Tahoe share the same platform and many of the same parts, which could explain why these popular family vehicles have similar track records for lasting at least 200,000 miles,” said Ly. “Similarly, the Expedition and the lone luxury car on the list, the Navigator, also share the same manufacturer and are similar vehicles despite their different marques.”

Three pickup trucks make the list including the eighth-ranked Honda Ridgeline, the tenth-ranked Toyota Tacoma, and the eleventh-ranked Toyota Tundra. “The Honda Ridgeline’s unibody design gives it the function of a pickup truck with the handling and comfort of a crossover SUV, while achieving the reliability ratings characteristic of the Honda brand,” said Ly. “Meanwhile, the Toyota Tacoma and the Toyota Tundra are known for being indestructible, which explains why they are much more likely than the average vehicle to reach the 200,000 mile mark.”

Ranked twelfth is the Toyota Avalon, accounting for the only sedan on the list. “The Toyota Avalon is known for its excellent reliability ratings and is consistently at the top of its class for vehicle rankings,” said Ly. “The Avalon provides a spacious interior and serves as a capable and comfortable alternative for those who want a reliable family hauler but don’t require the expansive cargo space of a large SUV or minivan.”

The lone minivan on the list is the Honda Odyssey, which represents the vehicle segment most commonly associated with family hauling. “Minivans generally offer more cargo space and better gas mileage than full-size SUVs, but lack the all-weather performance and towing capacity,” said Ly. “Minivans are an ideal option for families who want extra cargo room and seating, but don’t require a vehicle that performs like a truck.”

Top 15 Longest-Lasting SUVs

iSeeCars examined the data to determine the SUVs most likely to reach 200,000 miles in addition to the nine that appear on the overall longest-lasting vehicles list.

Ranked tenth is the Honda Pilot midsize SUV, which is joined by its upscale counterpart manufactured under the brand’s luxury marque, the thirteenth-ranked Acura MDX. “These vehicles are known for their reliability and offer three rows of seating and ample cargo room to accommodate families,” said Ly.

Two additional midsize SUVs make the list including the eleventh-ranked Dodge Durango and the fourteenth-ranked Toyota Highlander. “The Dodge Durango bills itself as a rugged, yet family-friendly crossover that leads its class in towing capacity without sacrificing drivability,” said Ly. “The Toyota Highlander joins its hybrid version on the list and is known for its reliability and performance.”

Rounding out the list is the twelfth-ranked Cadillac Escalade and its extended stretch version, the fifteenth-ranked Cadillac Escalade ESV. “In addition to being popular family haulers, these vehicles are common livery vehicles that are likely to accrue high mileage,” said Ly.

The Longest-Lasting Pickup Trucks

When analyzing which light-duty pickups are most likely to reach 200,000 miles, five pickups fare better than the 1.8 percent average for the segment with the top three also appearing on the overall longest-lasting vehicles list.

Ranked fourth is the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 full-size pickup, while its mechanically identical GMC Sierra 1500 ranks seventh and fares just below the segment average. “The Chevrolet Silverado is considered to be more of a working truck, while the GMC Sierra markets itself as being more luxurious,” said Ly. “As a result, the Silverado may log more miles since it’s more likely to be used for work purposes.”

The last full-size pickup that is more likely than the average pickup to reach 200,000 miles is the fifth-ranked Ford F-150.

“Of all vehicle types, pickup trucks are the most likely to reach 200,000 miles with a 1.8 percent average for the segment, double the average for SUVs,” said Ly. “Pickup trucks are commonly used as work vehicles and are likely to accrue more miles than a typical passenger car while being more likely to undergo preventative maintenance and necessary repairs.”

Falling below the segment average are the full-size Nissan Titan, the full-size Ram Pickup 1500, the midsize Chevrolet Colorado, and the midsize Nissan Frontier.

The Longest-Lasting Passenger Cars (Excluding SUVs and Pickup Trucks)

When trucks and SUVs are excluded, Japanese automakers account for the majority of the list of longest-lasting cars.

Toyota accounts for five models on the list including the Avalon in the top spot along with the fourth-ranked Sienna minivan, the fifth-ranked Prius hybrid, the eighth-ranked Camry sedan, and its ninth-ranked hybrid counterpart, the Camry Hybrid. “Known for its reliability, Toyota provides cars for consumers seeking a long-lasting vehicle across all vehicle types,” said Ly.

Joining the second-ranked Honda Odyssey are two additional Honda models: the third-ranked Accord and the tenth-ranked Civic. “The Accord and the Civic are known for their reliability and longevity,” said Ly.

Rounding out the list are two domestic cars: the sixth-ranked Chevrolet Impala and the seventh-ranked Ford Taurus. "These vehicles are commonly used for company fleets, city governments, and rental cars—and they are likely to accrue high mileage as a result," noted Ly.

Longest-Lasting Green Cars

iSeeCars further examined the list to determine the eco-friendly vehicles that are most likely to reach 200,000 miles.

“Because luxury cars are often leased, they are less than half as likely to reach 200,000 miles when compared to the average vehicle,” noted Ly.

While the top four models also appear on the SUV list, an additional Volvo SUV joins the list: the fifth-ranked XC90 midsize SUV. Ranked sixth is a second Volvo, the S60 compact sedan. “Volvo has an outstanding reputation for safety, and both cars have favorable reliability ratings,” said Ly.

Rounding out the list are the seventh-ranked Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the eighth-ranked Mercedes-Benz E-Class. “Both these luxury sedans rank highly in their classes in terms of reliability and safety, and this shows that they are above average in terms of longevity as well,” said Ly.

Longest-Lasting Sports Cars

iSeeCars also examined the list to determine the longest-lasting sports cars. “Because sports cars typically aren’t daily drivers, they aren’t as likely to reach the 200,000 mile milestone,” said Ly. “As a vehicle segment, sports cars are the least likely to amass 200,000 miles with the average for the segment being 0.2 percent.” Using a slightly lower mileage threshold of 150,000 miles as an indicator of the model’s longevity, three sports cars are more likely to reach a high mileage.

The three sports cars that are above the segment average include the first-ranked Audi TT, the second-ranked Mazda MX-5 Miata, and the third-ranked Ford Mustang.

“The Audi TT, the Mazda Miata, and the Ford Mustang are among the lower-priced vehicles in the sports car segment, which suggest that they appeal to more practical buyers who keep them on the road for longer,” said Ly.

The Longest Lasting Brands

iSeeCars further analyzed the data to determine the brands with the most vehicles that are likely to reach 200,000 miles.

Earning the top spot is Toyota with 1.7 percent of its vehicles reaching 200,000 miles, which is more than double the average for all vehicles. In second place is Honda with 1.5 percent of its vehicles reaching the 200,000 milestone.

“Given the track record for reliability among Toyotas and Hondas, it’s no surprise that they earn the top two spots on the list,” said Ly.

The remaining brands that fared above average are all American with GMC ranking third, Chevrolet ranking fourth, Ram ranking fifth, and Ford ranking sixth. “The majority of the longest-lasting SUVs and pickups are American vehicles, which helps contribute to their above-average ranking on this list,” said Ly.

Vehicles that Reach the 300,000 Mark

Of the longest-lasting vehicles, iSeeCars examined which cars are most likely to reach 300,000 miles. Six models earn this distinction by being at least twice as likely as average to achieve this milestone.

Earning the top spot is the Ford Expedition, which is joined by two other full-size SUVS: the third-ranked Toyota Sequoia and the fourth-ranked Chevrolet Suburban. The second-ranked Toyota 4Runner is the only midsize SUV on the list, while two Toyota pickups, the fifth-ranked Tacoma and the sixth-ranked Tundra round out the list.

Rankings by Metro Area

iSeeCars analyzed the data geographically to determine the metropolitan areas with the highest percentage of cars that have reached 200,000 miles. iSeeCars identified 14 metro areas where the percentage of cars that reach 200,000 miles is more than twice the national average of .8 percent.

Metro Areas with the Most Cars Over 200,000 Miles

Rank

City

% Cars Over 200k Miles

1

Indianapolis, IN

2.3%

2

Birmingham, AL

2.3%

3

Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo, MI

2.1%

4

Kansas City, MO

1.9%

5

Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

1.9%

6

Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN

1.8%

7

Nashville, TN

1.8%

8

Greensboro-Winston Salem, NC

1.8%

9

Oklahoma City, OK

1.8%

10

Memphis, TN

1.8%

11

Salt Lake City, UT

1.8%

12

Seattle-Tacoma, WA

1.6%

13

Denver, CO

1.6%

14

Cincinnati, OH

1.6%

Average for All Cars

.8%

Longest-Lasting Vehicles by City

Further analyzing the list geographically, iSeeCars identified the longest-lasting car in the top 25 most populous cities.

Longest-Lasting Model by City

City

Model

% Cars Over 200k Miles

Atlanta, GA

Toyota Sequoia

13.2%

Boston, MA-Manchester, NH

Chevrolet Suburban

1.9%

Charlotte, NC

Lincoln Navigator

7.0%

Chicago, IL

Toyota Sequoia

8.8%

Cleveland-Akron (Canton), OH

Toyota Sequoia

6.8%

Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX

Toyota Sequoia

6.4%

Denver, CO

Toyota Sequoia

8.0%

Detroit, MI

Chevrolet Suburban

7.5%

Houston, TX

Toyota Sequoia

4.1%

Los Angeles, CA

Toyota 4Runner

3.2%

Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Ford Expedition

3.1%

Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN

Ford Expedition

8.9%

New York, NY

Ford Expedition

2.9%

Orlando-Daytona Beach, FL

Toyota Sequoia

7.7%

Philadelphia, PA

Toyota Sequoia

5.1%

Phoenix, AZ

Toyota Sequoia

4.6%

Portland, OR

Ford Expedition

8.2%

Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, CA

Toyota 4Runner

5.2%

Salt Lake City, UT

Ford Expedition

7.9%

San Diego, CA

Toyota Sequoia

3.7%

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA

Toyota 4Runner

2.7%

Seattle-Tacoma, WA

Ford Expedition

8.5%

St. Louis, MO

Ford Expedition

9.4%

Tampa-St Petersburg (Sarasota), FL

Toyota Sequoia

10.8%

Washington, DC (Hagerstown, MD)

Toyota Sequoia

5.7%

Similar to the national list, the top-ranked vehicle across most cities is the Toyota Sequoia, which appears 12 times.

“While full-size SUVs and pickup trucks are the most likely to reach 200,000 miles, there are still options for consumers who want an enduring vehicle outside of these categories,” said Ly. “This list shows that there are practical sedans, minivans, and even hybrid vehicles that are proven to go the distance.”

Methodology

iSeeCars.com analyzed over 13.8 million pre-owned cars sold in 2018 from model years 1981 through 2018. Models that were not in production as of the 2018 model year, heavy duty-vehicles, and low-volume models were excluded from further analysis. For each model, the percentage of the number of cars with at least 200,000 miles was calculated.

About iSeeCars.com

iSeeCars.com is an online car search engine helping consumers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, like the iSeeCars VIN check report. iSeeCars.com has saved users over $177 million so far by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points and using proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of cars and thousands of dealers. Based in the Boston area, iSeeCars.com was founded by former TripAdvisor and SAP executives determined to improve the car shopping experience for consumers.